1. Field
This invention relates to the rendering of three-dimensional images of surfaces or scenes.
2. Description of Related Art
Three-dimensional rendering of surfaces or scenes is often desirable in order to communicate to a viewer the three-dimensional shape of the surface of an object. Providing different three-dimensional rendering for different viewing angles provides a sense of three-dimensionality of the objects represented. A depth perspective may be provided by giving different (stereoscopic) image information to one eye, say the left eye, compared to the image information given to the other eye, the right eye. The viewer's brain then interprets the difference in the image perceived by the left eye, compared to the image perceived by the right eye, as a difference in depth to the object surface.
A variety of other methods for rendering a three-dimensional image from a two-dimensional display are known, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,973 to Berlin. Berlin discloses a three-dimensional image rendering device in which a three-dimensional image is generated by a two-dimensional display that is moved to achieve the effect of three dimensions. The three-dimensional effect is achieved by adjusting the intensity of the light sources on the two-dimensional display as the display rotates. The three-dimensional image is a composite of the different images applied to the display, wherein the persistence of the two-dimensional images in the eyes of the viewer causes the image to appear three-dimensional.